Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1887-02-24
NO. 81.

of the next one. My movements were
characterized by haste and uncertainty.
| had not noticed that fat woman oc-
cupied the perch I wanted. / pumped
up against her She screamed. We
both lost our footing and fell to the floor
in an indistinguishable mass. The fat
woman landed on top. | have not yet
recovered from the shock. In the mean
time the negro in an insane attempt to
get on top Of the water cooler. had turn.
ed it over. The fat woman and | receiv-
ed the full benefit of the deluge, but the
fat woman didn mind It. She had faint
cd. eXerted all my strength to rise,
bat the effort was useless. She held me
down with a dead weight. | realized the
deadly peril Of my position. My brain
reeled, and drops Of pcrspiration trickled
from brow and mingled with the ice wa
ter. knew had not long to live. Even
then could feel the hot breath Of the
Shiny monster on my cheek.
Then the car stopped. A cool-headed
individual, with rare presence Of mind,
had pulled the bcll-ropc. In a few mo-
ments a mad conductor rushed in. He
seemed astonished at the general scene Of
ruin and confusion, and demanded in a
loud voice what in Sam Hill was the
matter Everybody answered at once.
They lost no time about it. They an
swercd in a thousand different ways but
everybody brought in the alligator some-
where.
"Alligator~ said the conductor; what
alligator? Have you all gone crazy, or
is this a -"
Hang it man :" broke il the cool
headed individual, "what difference does
it make what alligator il is? He's loose,
and hes on this train. | don't know his
name but he's under that seat right agin
you there, and if YOU listen TO me you'll
-"
The conductor bent his majestic form
and looked under the seat His eyes
met those OF the monster lie didn't
seem TO be prepared for the meeting. He
staggered backward and fell over the fat
woman and myself and, hastily scram-
bling to bis feet, he proceeded to take his
place among the elevated passengers.
Then began chorus from men and wom-
en- demanding, coaxing and entrcating
him to "do something" lie did some-
thing. He pulled ont his handkerchief
and mopped hi. feyered brow.
While he was executing this intellcc-
tual feat, the man who owned the alliga-
tor came in to inquire why we had stop
ped. He was greeted with q general ay-
alanche Of hard names and approbrious
epithets. He didn't seem to understand
the situation until the coolheaded man
explained that his blankciy blank alliga-
tor had broke loose and come near kill
ing everybody on tho rain The infor-
nation appeared 20 tickle him immense
ly lie lifted mp his voice and laughed
aloud. He smote his thigh and ex.
claimed:
"WcH, dad biug, If This here amt jet
the bealenist thing J eyer see :"
Ought to De ashamed Of yourself"
"Kin him w "Penitentiary IS too good
for you" and 50 forth
Gentlemen" aid tbe man who owned
the alligator, "I'm fred you've been a
leetle too hasty. This here gator Of mine
is just as harmlc.a as err baby" lie
stopped to remove hi vile pei from be-
meath the seat
go, yes he's quiet as a lamb, be is."
Sarcastic groans and jcers from the pas
sengers.
The old man actually had the temerity
to picl, up tie hideous reptile by The tail.
lie held him head downward. Gentle
men," said he, in q solemn voice, "this
here alligator is stuffed"
And such was found to be The fact, and
there was the string around the creatures
head which had got tangled somehow
with the negro's foot, tho. giving that
harmless stuffed skin the appearance Of
hunting him 10 death.
An awful silence fell on the assembled
congregation. The fat woman was as
sisted to her feet. ] managed 10 regain
my own without assistance. The dead
and wounded were made as comfortable
as possible. The conductor controlled
himself long enough to start the train.
Then he went forward to get the engineer
to assist him in expressing his emotions.
He and the engineer had il out in the
cab, and away back in the sleeper We
coph hear their oalhs rattlinp Ike hail